Petunia plant named ‘PEHY0042’

ABSTRACT

A new Petunia plant named ‘PEHY0042’ particularly distinguished by its small sized, blue with violet shade colored flowers, is medium, early to flower and has a trailing to semi trailing plant habit.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Petunia hybrida.

Varietal denomination: ‘PEHY0042’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Petunia, botanically known as Petunia hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘PEHY0042’.

‘PEHY0042’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar has small sized, blue with violet shade colored flowers, is medium, early to flower and has a trailing to semi trailing plant habit.

‘PEHY0042’ originated from a hybridization made in October 2014 in a controlled breeding environment in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The female parent was the proprietary line ‘N4358-1’ (not patented). Compared to ‘PEHY0042’, it has a more upright plant habit, earlier flowering and a blue flower color with deep blue veins.

The male parent of ‘PEHY0042’ was the unpatented proprietary line ‘N4621-1’ (not patented), a plant with a similar plant habit, bit later flowering and a deep rose flower color.

The resulting seeds were sown in August 2015. ‘PEHY0042’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in December 2015 in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘PEHY0042’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in January 2016 in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in January 2016 and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘PEHY0042’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘PEHY0042’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar has not yet been applied for. ‘PEHY0042’ has not been made publicly available prior to the effective filing date of this application, notwithstanding any disclosure that may have been made less than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application by the inventor or another who obtained ‘PEHY0042’ directly from the inventor.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of these characteristics distinguishes this Petunia as a new and distinct variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical flower and foliage characteristics of ‘PEHY0042’ with colors being as true as possible with an illustration of this type. The photographic drawings show in FIG. 1 a flowering plant of the new variety and in FIG. 2 a close-up of the flower.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs were taken in April 2018 from plants growing indoor in 12 cm pots in Andijk, The Netherlands. These plants were approximately 11 weeks of age.

The plant descriptions and measurements were taken in September 2018 in Andijk, The Netherlands on approximately 20 week old plants that were growing in containers.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.) 2001.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘PEHY0042’ AND A MOST SIMILAR VARIETY ‘Whip Bule’ (U.S. ‘PEHY0042’ Plant No. 18,052) Plant vigor: Medium Strong Flower color: Blue with violet shade Blue Branching: Very good branching Rather poor branching Flower size: Small Small to medium

-   Plant:     -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Trailing to semi-trailing plant             habit.         -   Plant height.—27 cm.         -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—35 cm.         -   Plant diameter (width).—Approximately 35 cm. -   Roots:     -   -   Number of days to initiate and produce roots.—16 days at             about 22° C.         -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.         -   Color.—RHS N158D. -   Foliage:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sometimes opposite,             decussate.         -   Immature leaf, color upper surface.—RHS 137A.         -   Immature leaf, color lower surface.—RHS 146B.         -   Mature leaf, color upper surface.—RHS 137A.         -   Mature leaf, color lower surface.—RHS 146B.         -   Length.—2-3.1 cm.         -   Width.—1.2-2.3 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Base shape.—Shortly attenuate.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth with some short hair.         -   Lower surface.—Densely covered with short hairs.         -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 146B.         -   Color of veins, lower surface.—RHS 146C.         -   Petiole color.—RHS 146B.         -   Length.—0.3 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.3 cm.         -   Petiole texture.—Densely covered with short hairs. -   Stem:     -   -   Quantity of main branches per plant.—4-5.         -   Color of stem.—RHS 146B.         -   Length of stem.—27 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.4 cm.         -   Length of internodes.—2-3 cm.         -   Texture.—Dense, mostly glandular short hairs.         -   Color of pedicel.—RHS 146B.         -   Length of pedicel.—1.0-1.7 cm.         -   Diameter of pedicel.—0.2 cm.         -   Texture of pedicel.—Densely covered with short hairs. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Flowers solitary in upper leaf axis.         -   Floret type.—Funnel-shaped; 5 lobed petals; fused at base.         -   Blooming habit.—Medium early flowering in greenhouse,             flowering throughout the summer months.         -   Quantity of inflorescences per plant.—Approximately 45.         -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—About 7 days.         -   Fragrance.—Some scent. -   Bud (just when opening):     -   -   Color.—RHS 86A at top, RHS 138B towards base.         -   Length.—3.5 cm.         -   Width.—0.7 cm.         -   Shape.—Ensiform. -   Immature inflorescence:     -   -   Flower horizontal diameter.—3.0 cm.         -   Color petals, upper surface.—RHS 83A.         -   Color petals, lower surface.—RHS 86A. -   Mature flower:     -   -   Flower horizontal diameter.—3.7 cm.         -   Flower height (vertical).—4 cm.         -   Color upper surface.—RHS 83A.         -   Color lower surface.—RHS 86A.         -   Conspicuousness of veins.—         -   Apex shape.—Acuminate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Waviness of margin.—Low.         -   Petal lobation.—Medium.         -   Petal texture, upper surface.—Smooth with occasionally             hairs.         -   Petal texture, lower surface.—Some glandular hairs, more             dense towards base.         -   Corolla tube color outside.—RHS 86D, more RHS 138D towards             base.         -   Corolla tube color inside.—RHS 86A with longitudinal stripes             darker than RHS 86A.         -   Conspicuousness of veins in tube.—Rather strong.         -   Corolla tube length.—2.1 cm.         -   Corolla tube texture, outside.—Rather dense and short             glandular hairs.         -   Corolla tube texture, inside.—Glabrous. -   Calyx:     -   -   Color of sepal, upper surface.—RHS 146B.         -   Color of sepal, lower surface.—RHS 146B.         -   Length.—1.1 cm.         -   Width.—0.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Ensiform.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Base.—Fused.         -   Margins.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Densely covered with short glandular             hairs.         -   Lower surface.—Densely covered with short glandular hairs. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Pistil.—1.         -   Length.—2.6 cm.         -   Style color.—RHS 139D, RHS 86C towards stigma.         -   Style length.—2.0 cm.         -   Stigma color.—RHS 139B.         -   Stamens.—         -   Quantity per flower.—5.         -   Color of filaments.—RHS 86D at top, lighter than RHS 202D in             the middle of the filament, RHS 142D towards base.         -   Length filaments.—2.3 cm.         -   Anther color.—RHS 202D.         -   Anther length.—0.2 cm.         -   Anther shape.—Elliptical.         -   Color of pollen.—RHS 202D.         -   Pollen amount.—Abundant.         -   Fertility/seed set.—Has not been observed on this hybrid.         -   Disease/pest resistance.—Has not been observed on this             hybrid. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Petunia plant named ‘PEHY0042’ substantially as illustrated and described herein. 